Who is She?
by littlemagicme
Summary: Prince Philip of Bavaria comes to court the Lady Mary, daughter of the King. What will Mary come to learn about herself, her father, Philip, and Philip's unorthodox companion? Reviews are always an inspiration, so please let me know what you think!
1. A Suitor

A servant had delivered a message to the Lady Mary earlier in the day. It said that the Queen wished to speak with her, but did not contain a topic. So, at the appointed time, the king's eldest daughter made her way down to the Queen's apartments. She liked Anne of Cleves. She was kind, courteous, and, despite being a Lutheran, Mary had grown to truly care for her. She was new to England and the English customs, but had adapted quickly until the only thing that showed that she was of a foreign land was her rather thick German accent.

When Mary arrived at the Queen's private apartments, one of Anne's Ladies in Waiting announced her. Anne rose from her seat and came to greet the girl as she curtsied. "Lady Mary, it is so nice you could come. Please sit," she said, leading the way towards a pair of chairs and reclaiming her own seat. Once they were both seated, Anne continued, "I have received a letter from my cousin, Prince Philip of Bavaria. He would like to come and pay court to you."

Mary's mind began to race. She hadn't had anyone interested in paying court to her since the king had named her a bastard. Yes, her father often had an idea of who he thought was a good match, but nothing ever came from it. There were never even propositions made to the candidates. Mary swallowed and hesitantly asked, "Why?"

Anne smiled in a kind, understanding way. "He has heard many good things about you."

"What is he like?"

"Well, he and his twin brother, Otto Henry, are the only children of the king of Bavaria. Philip chose to become a military man and travel the world, happy to allow his brother to be the unopposed heir to the crown. He is charming and very handsome."

"And a Lutheran?"

Anne nodded. Mary was still skeptical. It was strange that she had not heard this from her father or even the Imperial Ambassador, who seemed to know bits of information like this days before everyone else. "Does my father know of his interests?"

"Yes, he asked me to find out what you thought."

Mary smiled at Anne's straightforward approach to the task. The queen pushed for an answer. "What should I tell him?"

"He may come, if he pleases and the king approves, but he should not expect anything."

The next day, shortly after dinner, Mary received another note. This time it was for an audience with her father, the King. As she approached the great oak doors, a guard opened them. He asked Mary to wait in the outer chamber, and then disappeared through another set of doors to make sure the King was expecting his daughter. She paced between the mantle and the window, wondering what her father wished to see her about.

Finally, the guard came back. "You may go in, Madame."

Mary nodded her thanks as he stepped aside to let her pass. The King was at his desk looking over some documents. Not wanting to interrupt him, Mary stood quietly in the doorway, allowing her eyes to wonder around the room. A tapestry she had never seen before caught her attention. It was of a small, flowering tree set over a magnificent sunrise.

"Mary," her attention snapped back to her father. Quickly, she curtsied; worried he would be angry with her lack of respect. He smiled and rose from his chair, "Please, no formalities. I see you took interest in my new tapestry."

Mary stood, relieved by the King's good mood. "Yes, it is quite lovely. Where did you get it?"

Henry turned to look at the piece of art himself. "A peace offering from the French. King Francis seemed to be worried that I was going to join forces with the Emperor against him. The ambassador told me it is Chinese in origin. He said that the tree, a magnolia he called it, is to represent beauty and perseverance, while the dawn is for this new era of peace between our two realms." The king paused, and then continued as an afterthought, "I don't like it much. It's too dainty, but what can you expect from the French?"

Mary simply continued looking at the tapestry, not sure if her father actually wanted to continue speaking on the subject. Thankfully, he returned to his desk and sat down. Gesturing to the seat on the other side he said, "Please, have a seat. I wish to speak with you about something." After Mary did as she was asked, the King continued, "The Queen told me about your conversation with her yesterday. I wished to inform you that I will invite this Prince Philip to England."

"Thank you, your Majesty." Mary couldn't suppress the small smile that danced across her lips.

The King leaned back in his chair, scrutinizing his daughter. "You are very lucky you know. It is almost unheard of for a prince to want to court someone of your status, even if that prince is heir to a land as insignificant as Bavaria."

If Henry had been looking at Mary as he spoke, he would have seen the smile fade away. Her eyes turned dark and stormy. It took all of her will power to maintain her silence on the topic of her status. It hurt her every time he commented on it. He caused it, he joked about it, but she was affected by it. Henry would have been able to see all of this if he had been looking at Mary, but he was not. The King's attention was held instead by the spring flowers blooming in the gardens below his window, and the Queen's ladies dancing around them. Henry stood abruptly, prompting Mary to rise from her seat also. He went to the door when suddenly, his attention turned back to her, slightly surprised that she was still there. "Mary, that is all. You may go." The King was gone before Mary could curtsy.

Happy that her maids were not with her, Mary wondered down the corridor and out to the courtyard. Pausing to check that she was not being watched, she went across the lawn, into the adjacent forest. Her feet trod over the worn path until she came to the little creek. From there, she diverted from the path to follow the water until she came to the small clearing. In this clearing, the creek swelled into a little pond. There was a large boulder that jutted out over the water. Mary took off her shoes and climbed on top of the rock, positioning herself on the edge to allow her toes to skim across the water's surface.

This clearing was her sanctuary. Mary came here when she needed to clear her mind, reassure herself that everything was going to be okay, or simple tranquility away from the chaos of the court. She had come across it when she was a small girl with her mother. They had snuck away together on many occasions to enjoy the peace, privacy, and each other's company. After her mother died, Mary had run to the clearing and, in a blind rage, began throwing rocks at the surrounding trees. Once her energy was spent, she noticed the rocks had chipped away the bark of the trees. She dug around for a sharp rock and used it to carve a small cross with the words "Katherine the Queen, mi madre" into the smooth trunk of a nearby tree. Mary shivered at the memory of that cold, winter day. That carving made the place even more special. It allowed Mary to feel close to her mother.

Mary laid back on the rock, gazing up at the canopy of leaves over her, allowing her thought to turn to the Prince of Bavaria. She strained her mind to recall what she knew of that land. It was a small, independent realm between the Holy Roman Empire and France. The country had no importance in world politics, so was left alone. As for the man himself, she knew nothing save what the Queen had told her. She wondered what her mother would have thought of her marrying a Lutheran. Surely, she would be against it, but perhaps, if he was a good man, his religious affiliations could be overlooked, or, even better, changed.

Her eyes were growing heavy when she felt something wet hit her neck. She sat up in time to witness the beginnings of a light drizzle. Mary watched the droplets hit the surface of the pond until the rain became stronger, forcing her to slip her shoes on and walk back to the palace. By the time she got to the edge of the forest, the skies had opened up and the rain turned into a heavy downpour. Mary hiked up her skirts and ran across the lawn, through the now empty courtyard, and into the safety of the palace.


	2. Ambassadors

The court went back to its usual repetitiveness. Mary would wake up, get dressed, and spend the morning completing busywork such as embroideries or translations while chatting idly with her ladies. Even the court gossip was dull. In the afternoon, Mary would go wonder around the court, but almost always ended up outside. Occasionally, she went riding or hunting. Her life continued this routine with no mention of the Prince of Bavaria for almost a fortnight.

One afternoon Mary was in the garden admiring the roses. She noticed her sister, Elizabeth, practicing her archery. The lady Kat Ashley stood off to the side, watching her charge. Mary walked down the path to her sister. She was always happy to see Elizabeth. The child was always pleasant and eager for attention.

"Elizabeth, you're getting better." Mary called happily as she grew closer.

Elizabeth turned with a smile already spreading across her face. "I've been practicing!"

"I'm sure you have."

The sisters embraced. Elizabeth put down her bow and gave Mary her full attention. They sat on the grass to talk, mostly about Elizabeth's studies. They conversed in Latin, French, and Spanish. Elizabeth also showed Mary some of the German she had learned from the Queen. Eventually, Elizabeth asked a question that caught Mary's full interest. "Mary, did you see the new gentleman at court? I've never seen him before. I bet he is an ambassador."

Mary thought for a moment, trying to recall if she had seen any new faces. "No, I haven't seen anyone new. What makes you think he is an ambassador?"

"He was with the Imperial and French Ambassadors. Also, his clothes were different. The gentleman just looked foreign." Elizabeth answered dismissively. Soon after, Lady Ashley took Elizabeth inside to prepare for supper.

That evening, Mary was reading in her greeting room with her Ladies, Susan and Alice. There was a knock at the door that Susan answered. She came back with the Imperial Ambassador, Eustace Chapuys. Mary looked up from her book and stood to greet the man she called her friend.

"Good evening, your Excellency."

"Good evening, Lady Mary. I came across some information today I thought you would be interested in." Mary offered Chapuys a chair and looked at him expectantly. "As you probably know, your father's interest in marrying you to the Prince of Bavaria has remained out of the public light. That has changed because the Bavarian Ambassador, Herr Bayer, arrived at court late last night. The King saw him today and openly asked when the Prince would be here for you."

"Did he say?"

"The last he heard, Prince Philip was in France riding north. He should be here in a week if the weather at the channel is decent."

Mary hopped out of her seat and clapped her hands in giddy excitement. Chapuys, Susan, and Alice all exchanged worried glances, but Mary paid them no mind. Then seemingly out of nowhere, she asked Chapuys, "Do you remember when you told me that my father wanted to marry me to a Frenchman, and I was worried it would displease you?"

The Imperial Ambassador thought for a moment. "Yes, I believe I said that I would be happy with anything that would make you happy."

By this time, Mary had reverted to her composed, if not serious disposition. "Do you remember how I replied to that?"

"You said you were afraid that you were not born for happiness."

At this point Susan quietly ushered Alice out of the room, feeling as though they were intruding. Mary waited for the door to close behind them before she spoke. "Well, what if Philip is my chance for happiness? I'm getting older and older. My years for childbearing are numbered."

"Come now, Lady Mary," Chapuys tried to reassure the young woman, "you are only twenty-two. There is still plenty of time."

"I'm twenty-four." Mary corrected with a hint of melancholy.

Chapuys pushed, slightly embarrassed by his mistake, "There is still plenty of time." They sat quietly for a moment until a thought occurred to Chapuys. "Lady Mary, if you have it in your mind that the Prince of Bavaria will make you happy, I must implore you to be careful."

Mary looked at him cocking her head to the side. "Why?"

"There are few things in this world more humiliating than finding others have used you for their own gain."

Mary forced out a dry, joyless laugh. "You forget, Excellency, it is the curse of the children of nobility to be used for their parent's gain. Furthermore, if Philip was looking to gain wealth or title, he would not come courting me. My father has declared me a bastard. I have nothing to give him."

Chapuys took Mary's hand in his own, troubled by how sound her argument was. "It is well known around the world how easily the mind of the English King is swayed. He may still reinstate you into the succession, especially if you are in a position to give him a grandson. Unfortunately by that logic, he may also be convinced to prevent you marrying to protect your brother's claim, since his mother was never formally crowned. So please Madame, be careful. I do not want to see you get hurt."

A small smile crept onto Mary's face. She was touched that the man across from her cared so much for her wellbeing. Chapuys' loyalty had never wavered. "Thank you, your Excellency."

Chapuys graced her with a smile that seemed like a grimace to anyone else. He rose, and with a brisk bow, made his way to the door. Abruptly, he turned back. "I had almost forgotten something. I also spoke with Herr Bayer. He begged me to ask you if you would be interested in speaking with him about the Prince and that he would be more than happy to tell you all about Prince Philip."

Mary decided against the offer, thinking it was better to keep Philip a surprise. She also took into consideration that, as Ambassador to Bavaria, Herr Bayer would exaggerate so that when Mary met the Prince, she would be disappointedly underwhelmed. After thanking Chapuys for visiting her and wishing him a goodnight, he left.

Mary stared at the door, lost in thought. Philip would be here soon. She realized that she had become very nervous where earlier, she had only felt excitement. Chapuys, for all of his good intentions, had planted doubt in her. Worst, she knew how valid his advice was. Nothing was concrete until there was a ring on her finger. But the fact that Philip was even coming was progress. The last time a suitor had come to England for her was when she was a child. Now that she was older, perhaps she could help influence if the marriage went through. She was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of the door opening again. Susan and Alice came back to prepare for bed.

"You know you two didn't have to leave." Mary said, smiling at her ladies.

Alice looked as if she were about to speak, but Susan stepped in front of her, effectively cutting her off. "Yes, but your entire life is not our business."

"Just the vast majority of it, Madame." Alice added jokingly from over Susan's shoulder. The comment earned her a glare from the older woman, but made Mary laugh, as was intended. Susan broke and chuckled too.

Mary stood up and said, "It's getting late." She then led the way to her bedroom.

Once Susan and Alice had finished their nightly tasks to prepare Mary for bed, they left again. Before Susan shut the door behind her she turned back. "Lady Mary, please do not fear to hope."

Mary turned from the dresser. "Thank you, Susan. Goodnight." The other woman bobbed her head in what could pass as a curtsy and left. Mary went and knelt at her bedside in prayer. That night she prayed for the safe passage of Prince Philip but above all, guidance that she would make the best decisions.

* * *

**I promise, next chapter will have our OUAT friends!**


	3. Strangers

Days later, Mary found she had a persistent urge to wonder in the woods. She dismissed Susan and Alice for the morning and made her way across the lawn to the forest. It had rained the previous night. The air had a new freshness about it and water was still dripping from some of the leaves. Unfortunately, this also meant that the ground was muddy, so Mary opted to remain on the trail. She meandered along the path reveling in the peaceful solitude that was nature.

A distinctively out-of-place sound brought Mary back to reality. It sounded like metal crashing against wood. She stopped walking all together when she heard the sound again. A third time allowed her to pinpoint the direction it was coming from. Mary crept through the undergrowth towards the source.

Not too far from the trail, she came up to a small clearing. Peering around a large tree, Mary saw a man with a sword. He appeared to be training, swinging the sword with great skill, occasionally making contact with the trees on the far side of the clearing. Mary watched quietly from her hiding place. The man was obviously from the court; the material of his clothes proved that much. He also wore a dark beret pulled down so it sat low on his brow. Mary shifted her weight slightly to get a better look at the man. In doing so, a twig snapped under her foot, alerting him to her presence. He turned quickly, spotting her. Mary's eyes met his dark brown ones for an instant before instinct took over and Mary fled. She didn't stop running until she made it to the edge of the lawn. After making sure she was not followed, she attempted to compose herself before starting back to the courtyard. As she was walking towards the doors, Mary saw Chapuys and changed her direction to go speak with him.

"Lady Mary," he greeted courteously. A look of concern washed over his face as he saw Mary's flushed cheeks. "Are you well?"

"I-" she paused but deciding to confide in the ambassador. "I was in the woods."

"Forgive me, but I thought the children of the King were not allowed in the woods." Chapuys cut in quickly, worried about Mary getting hurt or invoking the anger of her father.

Mary glanced at him slightly irked by his seemingly extensive knowledge of private, restricting and, (to Mary) embarrassing rules. Yet if she were honest, she was also pleased to hear the unease in his voice. She reminded herself that he was only looking out for her best interests before responding. "It isn't a set rule, more of an implication. I only go out during the day and fair weather. It is also not a pastime I flaunt, and it has done me nothing but good." She paused again before her defense turned into a ramble. "That is not my point though. While I was in the woods, I came across a strange man with a sword. He seemed to be from the court."

"What did this man look like?"

"Like he was from the Far East. He had a darker complexion and dark eyes."

"You saw his eyes?"

"He saw me and I ran. I wasn't followed."

Chapuys nodded in thought. "Good. I haven't seen or heard anything about a gentleman from the Far East coming to court. Are you sure about what you saw?" Mary nodded and Chapuys continued, "I will let you know if I come across any information."

Mary thanked him and was making her leave when he remembered something. "Madame, earlier I saw Lady Alice. She implored me that if I came across you that I would inform you that you father, the King wished to see you." She thanked him again and disappeared into the palace.

She walked down the corridor until her path was cut off by a gentleman who bowed lowly in front of her before speaking. "Lady Mary, I hope you can forgive me for my impulsiveness. I know we should have been formally introduced, but I could not wait."

Mary studied the man before her. He had fair skin, dark hair, and calm, blue eyes. "You are Prince Philip?" She asked hesitantly.

He smiled and with a quirk of his eyebrow, asked if he may kiss her hand. She indulged him. The Prince was handsome, and already she was being won over by his charm. Mary almost missed his next statement. "I hope we may see each other again soon."

"As do I, with your cousin the Queen present, of course." Mary then curtsied low as the Prince's rank demanded before continuing to her father's chambers. It took all of her willpower not to turn around as she felt his eyes on her back.

Once Mary was granted entrance into the King's chambers, Henry stood from his desk and began pacing the length of the room before he spoke. "Mary, I'm sure you have heard by now that the Prince of Bavaria has arrived at court." She remained quiet, not wishing to divulge the slight breech of customs that meeting Philip had caused with her father. Henry continued, "I think tonight we will have a feast and formally present him to you as your suitor."

"Yes, your Majesty."

"He is an interesting man." The King mused.

Mary looked at her father curiously. "Have you met him, your Majesty?"

Henry turned to face his daughter. "No, but I heard a report stating that he only came with one companion riding next to him, so therefore not a servant. Also, they only arrived with one trunk each."

"Perhaps he prefers to travel light and quickly." Mary offered, already feeling obligated to defend a man she had met for only a moment.

"Well, it is not very princely." Henry insisted. Mary said nothing and after a moment of silence, the King dismissed her.

That evening, Mary went to the grand chamber flanked by Susan and Alice. Once they had made their entrance, Mary let them go to enjoy the feast on their own. She remained on the elevated platform where her father and the Queen sat. Mary was watching as Elizabeth danced with one of the young Dudley boys when, suddenly, everything stopped as the King and Queen both stood. The crowd parted and Mary could see Philip walking down the middle. When he arrived at the platform, he bowed respectfully. Anne descended the three steps to greet her cousin. Henry took Mary's hand in his own, gently pulling her to stand next to him.

"Your Majesty," Philip spoke loudly so everyone in the still quiet room could hear him, "I have come to ask permission to court your daughter, The Lady Mary."

Henry smiled, leading Mary down the steps. "Granted," the King boomed as he placed Mary's hand in Philip's. Addressing everyone, he asked them to celebrate and be merry. The music began playing again and the buzz of conversation echoed throughout.

Philip led Mary away from the King and Queen. As they passed the dance floor he asked if she would like to dance. Mary agreed and they joined the other courtiers, chatting idly as they danced. Philip complimented Mary on her dress and dancing. They spoke of Philip's voyage across the channel and the weather. When the dance momentarily required then to switch partners, Mary was surprised to see that the void Philip left was filled by her father.

"Are you pleased with the Prince, my pearl?"

Mary smiled at the use of her old pet name as she circled behind her father. "Yes. The Queen was right, he is charming and handsome."

"I think we should get to know him a little better. Perhaps we should have a private, family supper tomorrow."

"That sounds lovely, your Majesty."

Henry glanced at his daughter. "Yes, a nice supper for the six of us."

"Six?"

The dance forced Mary away from her father momentarily. When she returned to him, he answered. "You, Philip, Queen Anne and I make four. I also thought to invite Elizabeth. Such family gatherings will be good for her."

Mary nodded in agreement. "Yes and the last person?"

"Philip's companion, I want to meet her."

"Her?" Mary asked, baffled.

"Yes, according to the reports, he travels with a woman."

"Oh," It was all Mary could think to say before she was back with Philip. They reentered their previous conversation, but Mary's mind kept recalling that Philip traveled solely with a woman. It made Mary regard him with more caution.

When the song ended, Philip asked if she wished to get some wine to which she agreed readily. They were standing against the wall when a woman wearing a simple, deep blue dress came and rested her hand on Philip's shoulder. "I'm going to leave and prepare for bed. I will see you tomorrow."

"Very well," he answered, smiling. He glanced at Mary, "Oh, Mary, this is my companion-"

The woman had turned to look at Mary. Upon making eye contact, she stooped into something between a curtsy and a bow. Speaking quickly she said, "Lady Mary, please forgive me. I did not recognize you earlier."

Mary, confused and wondering why the woman seemed familiar, especially those dark brown eyes, asked, "Have we met before?"

"Not really, Madame, but I saw you in the woods."

Recognition struck Mary as she remembered the strange man from just that morning. Confused that the person standing before her was a woman, she said dumbly, "But, you're a girl."

The woman straitened a little as she answered, "Woman, my name is Mulan."

For the second time that night, all Mary could say was, "Oh". Mulan said goodnight to Philip again, as well as Mary, and left. Philip finished his wine and graciously took his leave as well. Mary was left standing in the Grand Chamber wondering who Mulan was and just how she and Philip knew each other.


	4. Who?

Mary woke up the next morning to find a request from Philip to meet him in the gardens. She dressed quickly and hurried out of the palace unaccompanied. Philip was standing by the hedges waiting and bowed when he saw her. He smiled, saying, "I wished to see the grounds, and could think of no one who would be more pleasant company than you."

Blushing, Mary suddenly became very interested in the ground between them as a small smile crept across her features. "I would be happy to show you around," she managed to reply. Her gaze returned to Philip in time to see him offer her his arm, which she took gratefully.

They circled around the flowerbeds and Mary showed Philip her favorite flowers. The couple finally came back to their starting point, where Philip turned to place himself in front of Mary. "Thank you," he said, still holding her hands. "That was lovely. I had forgotten how much I enjoy the green of the plants."

Mary looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

"I spent many years in the Southern part of the Ottoman Empire and some time further south in Arabia. It is all deserts with very little vegetation."

"Were you campaigning? The Queen told me you are a military man." Mary asked, remembering the first time the prince had been brought to her attention.

He smiled. "Not really. We were sent to help uphold peace in the southern provinces for the Sultan as part of an arrangement my father had made. It was more like glorified guard duty than anything else. We spent most of our time traveling between cities."

Mary, interested in finding out who this man was, then asked, "How did you end up in Arabia?"

"Sheer accident," he answered cryptically.

"And how did you meet Mulan?" She shot back, a little more harshly than she had intended.

"Sheer luck," Philip paused before explaining. "I met her in one of the cities. When I asked her to join my small company and she accepted."

"After I saved him," said a voice from behind Mary. She turned to see Mulan standing behind her, wearing breeches and a tunic. The clothes were simple in design, but made from cloth worthy of the court. She gave a slight bow towards Mary. "You weren't going to leave that part out, were you?" She asked Philip jokingly, causing the Prince to squirm with discomfort. "The King wishes to see you," Mulan told him, sparing the prince any more embarrassment.

Philip nodded and, turning to Mary, thanked her for a lovely time before vanished into the palace. Mulan made to leave Mary's presence as well, but Mary stopped her, "Mulan, please stay. I would enjoy the company." Mulan agreed. The two women began circling the garden in an awkward silence. Mary, wishing to do anything to break it, asked, "So, you saved Philip?"

Mulan glanced at the woman next to her. "Yes, on a few different occasions, just as he has saved me before. When I met him, he had picked a fight with some slave traders in a city called Baghdad."

"Why were you there?"

"I was just passing through." Mary sensed that Mulan did not wish to speak on the subject anymore. She was searching her mind desperately for something to say when Mulan spoke again. "Do you have any relations to the royal families of Iceland?"

"I- no, I'm half Spanish." Mary answered wondering where the question came from. She then added, "Why do you ask?"

"You just remind me of someone I knew of that lineage." Mulan said nothing after that. Trying to keep the conversation alive, Mary asked her where she was from. "China," was the answer and again, they fell into silence.

Mary's eyes lit up as she thought of another topic that perhaps Mulan might be more responsive too. "You seem very skilled with a blade."

Something that could pass as a smile crossed Mulan's otherwise emotionless features. "Thank you," the look vanished instantaneously as she continued. "And I believe an apology is in order. Last night, Philip reminded me that not all cultures are familiar with women fighting. I should have been more discreet in my training location."

"Oh, there's no need to apologize." Mary paused as what Mulan said clicked in here mind. "You say Philip visited you last night. Was this after the festivities?"

"Yes."

"You had said that you were going to bed."

Mulan stopped walking and turned to face Mary. Her head cocked to one side, obviously clueless as to why Mary was pointing this out. "I did. He came to my chamber to speak with me."

Mary felt her heart drop to her stomach. "You're chamber, you mean your bedchamber?"

"Yes, I don't see why-" Mulan's eyes bulged a little as she realized what Mary was thinking. "Madame," she began again, "I assure you that Philip and I are not seeing each other in the way I believe you are thinking. Philip and I are comrades, brothers-in-arms, and friends. He came here to court you in his own free choice. I came with to support him. On my honor, you have nothing to fear from me." Mulan had put a strange emphasis on the last word of her oath, but Mary paid no attention to it. She was more concerned with the oath itself. At first she was inclined to doubt it, but Mulan had delivered her words with such sincerity and gravity that Mary was swayed to believe her.

"Thank you." Mary paused before venturing forward, "I hope we can be friends." A slight inclination of the head was all the response Mary received, but she took it as an agreement. She continued, "I feel obligated to warn you to be careful in your familiarity with Philip. This court enjoys gossip, and vial rumors may begin to spread. It could easily damage many reputations, whether they be true or not."

Mulan nodded, "I understand. Thank you for your concern, Madame."

Placing her hand on Mulan's forearm, she asked, almost in a whisper, "Please, Mary." Mulan agreed to the other woman's wishes and they began walking again. "Are women trained in sword fighting common in China?" Mary asked.

"No, but I spent three years in the southern part of the Ottoman Empire. It is rather lawless there and almost everyone has to learn to fight in order to survive." Mulan answered.

"Is that where you learned?"

There was a forced smile on Mulan's lips when she spoke, "I could fight before I got there." Mary didn't know what else to say. Thankfully, she didn't have to speak, because Philip rejoined them at that moment, inadvertently ending the discussion.

That evening, Mary entered her father's private chambers for supper. She happened to meet Elizabeth at the door and the two sisters entered together. Philip, Mulan, the King and Queen were already present. "Ahh, my daughters, please join us!" King Henry boomed. Mary seated herself next to her father and across from Philip. Mulan, whom Elizabeth sat across from, was on the other side of the Prince. Anne of Cleves occupied the foot of the table, across from her husband.

As they ate, they relaxed into pleasant conversation, much to Mary's surprise. She didn't say much, preferring to simply observe the simply domestic quality of the gathering. Mary should have known that the peace would not last. It began with an innocent comment from Mulan about the tapestry of the magnolia tree. She said how it was a common image in China that was used to convey ideas of new life and celebrate the birth of a child. Henry eyed her skeptically. "The French ambassador told me differently." He stated, challenging Mulan to contradict the king.

The warrior woman shrugged. "In the end, it is a piece of art, Your Grace. Everyone is free to interpret it as they please."

The look on her father's face told Mary that he did not know what to think of this statement. Honestly, she didn't either. It was so simple, but Mary couldn't help but think that there was some hidden meaning to it. She glanced at Philip, but the prince was gazing at his empty plate, lost in thought. The Queen cleared her throat in an attempt to break the silence."Philip, tell us about your campaign."

Philip's head shot up in surprise at hearing his name, but recovered quickly. "It, ugh, it ended badly."

"You had said you were just maintaining the peace." Mary questioned concern in the forefront of her mind.

"We were, and had been for two years. I guess we had just let our guard down." Philip responded.

The king laughed. "A young man's mistake. What was the outcome? Did you lose a few horses? Get a little cut?"

"Mulan and I were the only ones to survive. All of my men were slaughtered in the night. My father refused to let us return to Bavaria." The prince's head was hung in shame, his answer little more than a whisper. It looked to Mary as though he might let a tear slip down his face.

Henry made it worse. "You could have saved an able bodied man and you chose to save her?" His eyes greedily flitted to Mulan, who had spent the last few minuted sitting stiffly, staring intensely at the wall above Elizabeth's head. His next comment was directed at her. "That good, ehh?"

The only sign Mulan gave that she had heard the king's words was a slight twitch in her left eye. By this time Philip had regained control of his emotions. "She saved herself. Mulan has great skill with a blade."

"Women were not made to fight. They were made to… reproduce." The king replied, still eyeing Mulan.

Mary felt her eyes widen as she came to understand what her father was implying. She was relieved when the Queen effectively put the conversation to rest by addressing her sister. "Have you been practicing your German, Elizabeth?"

The child replied promptly. "Yes your majesty. I take great pleasure in it."

Philip's attention was drawn to the girl, happy for any distraction from the previous topic. "You speak German, my Lady?" Elizabeth nodded with a small smile on her face as her reaction to the sudden attention. She answered in German. Philip exchanged a few more words with her in the language before returning to English. "I'm impressed. You have quite a gift with language."

"Thank you, your Grace." Elizabeth held his gaze for a moment before turning her attention to Mulan. "Lady Mulan, does your country have its own language?"

Mulan's eyes lowered from the patch of wall she had been staring at to the child. "Yes, it does."

Elizabeth's smile widened. "Perhaps you could show me some time?"

"I would be happy to."

The king cut in, "But not tonight. It is getting late, Elizabeth. I believe it is time for you to return to your chambers." Elizabeth stood from the table, bid everyone a good night, curtsied, and left. Henry watched his younger daughter leave before standing himself. As the Queen followed his example, he said, "I believe we are going to retire for the evening as well. Please feel free to continue use of this room in our absence."

Mary, Philip, and Mulan were left seated after the king and queen left. Mary saw Philip take a deep breath and Mulan visibly relaxed. "I feel the need to apologize," Mary paused. Philip and Mulan both looked at her strangely, but she pushed on, "For my father. Especially to you, Mulan, what he said was extremely inappropriate."

Mulan looked at her with a blank expression. "It wasn't your fault."

"I know, but-"

"Mary," Mulan cut her off, "It is okay. I'm use to reactions like that."

The three fell into a silence until Philip broke it. "Your sister really does have a talent for language."

Mary smiled, finding it amusing that Elizabeth was being used to diffuse tension again. "Yes, she's fluent in English, French, and Latin while learning Spanish, German, and Greek." Mary could not help but brag a little about the achievements of her sister.

"Impressive," Philip said, leaning back in his chair, "And what about you? Are you that linguistically versatile?"

Mary shook her head slowly, "No, I was always more musically inclined."

"What can you speak?" Mulan inquired.

"I'm fluent French, Latin, and Spanish."

"Well your English is very good as well, for not claiming to be fluent." Philip teased.

Mary playfully glared at him, "Well, I had hoped you were capable of seeing that I'm fluent in my native language."

"You mentioned Elizabeth's native language." Mulan pointed out.

"That's different. She's seven." Mary retorted and after a pause, she asked, "How about the two of you?"

"I learned Arabic while I was in the Ottoman Empire. Other than that, I have my native German as well as English, and Latin." Philip answered and turned expectantly to Mulan.

"My native language, Arabic, and English."

The three of them continued light conversation until they all decided it was time to go to bed. Philip offered to escort Mary back to her chambers. They said goodnight to Mulan before starting down the corridor. When they reached Mary's door she turned to face him. "Thank you," she said as she felt a slight blush creep up her face. Mary hoped Philip did not notice it.

"It was my pleasure." He leaned down to kiss her hand.

On an impulse, Mary hugged him and whispered in his ear, "Goodnight, Philip."

He held her closer. She felt safe in his arms, like she could stay there forever. He whispered, "Goodnight, Aurora," just like she had done. Mary's heart almost melted as his breath tickled her ear, until she realized something wasn't right. Her name wasn't Aurora.

Mary let go and took a step back. "Who is Aurora?"

Philip's eyes were wide and he stuttered over his words, "I, sh-she- I'm so sorry." He managed to say before he turned and ran. Mary was left standing at her door on the verge of tears.

* * *

**Sorry it took me so long to update this! Life has just been a little crazy. Hope you enjoyed and there shall be more to come!**


	5. Answers Lead to Questions

Mary could not focus on the mass being celebrated. She knew she should be paying attention with all of her heart and mind to the Sacrament, but Aurora continuously invaded her thoughts. All Mary knew was the name. To her, there was no face, no body, no personality, no dreams, only a name; a name that meant something to Philip. Mary's imagination tortured her as images of impossibly perfect women danced through her mind's eye. The terror these thoughts instilled in her astonished her until she came to realize, with even more surprise, that she was jealous. Mary was jealous of a woman she had never met over a man that she had only known for two days and had no binding contract to. She became angry with herself as she wondered what this jealousy said about her.

She was so lost in her own thoughts that on her way out of the chapel, she walked right into Chapuys. The ambassador turned, prepared to be angry, but when he saw who the offender was, his features softened considerably. "Lady Mary, are you well?" he asked, concern creeping into his voice.

Mary did not intend to burden Chapuys with her worries, but when she opened her mouth to speak, it was as if the dam had been broken and her thoughts came rushing out. She told him everything from the feast to gardens to the supper. By the time she spoke of Philip walking her back to her chambers, she had to use every ounce of willpower to prevent tears from falling. Chapuys just listened and nodded attentively. When Mary finally finished, he spoke to her quietly and soothingly, not daring to show any signs of familiarity with the king's daughter in such a public place. "My Lady, I'm sure there is little to fret about." He said, trying to sound convincing. "Perhaps if you simply ask the Prince about this Aurora, he will explain himself."

Swallowing a sob, Mary confessed, "I'm afraid. What if he leaves? I don't want to confront him about it."

Chapuys frowned, "Then maybe you could ask someone who might know, although, Madame, I advise that you speak to Philip. Communication is important, as is trust. It isn't something you should risk jeopardizing."

Mary nodded. She understood Chapuys' concern, but could not bring herself to consider speaking to Philip first. It could have been her own insecurities holding her back. Even after all this time, she could not believe that a prince was interested in courting her. Mary was trying to defend herself from disappointment if her suspicions and fears proved to be true. Finally, she spoke, "Thank you, your Excellency. You are a true friend. I don't know what I would do without you." The ambassador bowed in acknowledgement with a shadow of a smile. Mary returned the gesture warmly and walked away down the corridor to the Queen's apartments.

"Lady Mary, what a pleasant surprise." The Queen greeted jovially as her step-daughter was shown into the room.

"May I have a word with you?" Anne understood Mary's silent plea for privacy and dismissed her ladies. Once the door was shut, the Queen offered Mary a seat, and waited for her to speak. "It's about Philip, your Majesty." Mary began hesitantly.

The Queen's face fell a little, but she recovered quickly. "Do you not find him to your liking?"

"No, it's not that!" Mary reassured her quickly. "I think, well, I thought… I've grown rather fond of him."

Anne prompted, "Well then what is the matter?"

Mary took a deep breath, "Do you know of anyone by the name of Aurora?"

The Queen looked confused. "No, I have never heard that name before, why?"

Looking down at her hands, Mary answered, "Last night, when I was saying goodnight to Prince Philip, he called me Aurora. Then, he ran away without any explanation. I thought, as his kin, you might know something."

After pondering Mary's predicament, Anne said, "I'm sorry, Lady Mary, I know nothing."The two women sat in silence for a moment until the Queen asked, "Have you spoken to him today?" Mary shook her head, expressing her discomfort. "Do you think that you may be overreacting? Calling someone by the wrong name does happen occasionally." The Queen asked hesitantly.

"I'm not upset that he called me by the wrong name," Mary explained, "it's that he ran away that frightens me."

"What if you asked Mulan?" Anne proposed, "She might know something. I don't know if she would be willing to tell you, but you can try." Mary thanked Anne for the suggestion and went in search of the warrior woman.

Mulan was nowhere to be found. Mary looked everywhere and asked everyone about her. No one had seen her since yesterday. Philip was just as illusive. Mary left the palace in frustration and marched into the woods with the vague idea that she wanted to be alone. A small voice in the back of her mind was whispering terrible things to her, things she didn't want to believe, but could help listening to. "What if he doesn't like you? What if it was all just another lie? What if they left without a word? What if he is going to Aurora?" the inner voice repeated. Mary was lost in her worry until she came around the bend and saw a raven-haired figure sitting on the rock in her clearing.

All thought abandoned Mary as rage bubbled inside of her. She forgot that she had spent most of the morning searching for this woman. Mary had never seen another person in her sanctuary and the fact that Mulan was there infuriated her because her peace was being intruded upon. The silence was broken by her shrieking. "What are you doing here?"

Mulan jumped to her feet, startled by the unannounced woman. When her eyes fell on Mary, she remained calm, unfazed by the raised voice. "I was enjoying the pond. It's quite lovely here."

"You're not supposed to be here. This place is special." Mary said, her voice still at a higher pitch than normal as she strode to the rock. Mulan remained on top of the perch, observing Mary with her head tilted to the side before she ducked her head and hoped off the rock. As she walked to the path, keeping her distance from Mary, the fair skinned girl realized she had just sent the woman she had spent all morning looking for away. "Mulan, wait." Her command was almost a whisper. Mary was worried the warrior wouldn't hear it, but could not bring herself to speak louder. To her relief, Mulan stopped at the edge of the clearing. "Come back?" Mary asked trying to keep her voice steady.

Mulan remained where she was, considering Mary's request. Then, she turned and walk back towards the girl. They stood facing one another. Mulan waited patiently for Mary to speak again, but when it was obvious Mary was struggling with her words, Mulan took her hand and led her to the rock. "I'm sorry I yelled. It was just surprising to see someone else here." Mary finally spoke as they sat next to each other.

The warrior said nothing as she leaned back on her hands, gazing up into the canopy of leaves. "Who is Queen Katherine?" Mulan asked abruptly.

"What?"

"The tree there," Mulan jerked her head back, vaguely indicating something behind her. "There are words carved into it."

Mary looked out over the water. "It says 'Katherine the Queen, my mother' but the last bit is in Spanish. I put it there." She stopped speaking for fear that she would begin to choke on her words. Mulan's expression showed that she did not completely understand, but the other woman did not push Mary. The fair skinned woman was grateful for this and, when she had regained confidence to speak, changed the subject. "Mulan, have you seen Philip since last night?"

Mulan's eyebrows came together in thought. "Very briefly this morning. He said he had to go into London to see Herr Bayer."

"Oh," Mary ducked her head a little in relief, "Is that all he said?"

"Yes, why?"

Mary sighed and told the story of what had happened for what she hoped would be the last time. When she finished she said, "I was wondering if you know who Aurora is."

Mulan stared at Mary with her mouth slightly open. It made Mary nervous to see Mulan this way and was beginning to think of ways to try to apologize when Mulan quietly answered, "I know."

The warrior moved so her eyes were downcast and her shoulders hunched in a posture that did nothing to relieve Mary of her nervous state. "Will you tell me?" she asked gently.

Mulan nodded slowly as she began to speak, "Aurora was a Princess from Iceland. Philip and I met her soon after the attack he spoke of last night. She looked a lot like you, actually. That's why I asked about your heritage." Mulan glanced at Mary with the ghost of a smile. "They fell in love, her and Philip, but then things," here she paused, thinking of the correct word to use, "changed between them." she finished cryptically.

"Where is she?" Mary asked in the same gentle tone.

Mulan closed her eyes. "She died." After taking a deep breath, Mulan hastily excused herself and left the clearing. As she walked away, Mary could tell Mulan was rubbing at her eyes.

When Mulan was out of sight, Mary laid back on the rock. Finding out who Aurora was did nothing to cure Mary of her jealousy. Even worst, she was curious too. She watched the leaves above her flutter in the breeze, determined to find out all she could about this Princess, Aurora.


End file.
